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Lewiston, Maine “Empire” to be Demolished

LEWISTON, ME — According to the Press Herald, the 102-year-old Empire Theatre will be demolished this spring to make room for a parking lot. This once rampant demolition practice for parking spaces had subsided in recent years and it is surprising to see such an old theater, of an increasingly rare vintage, going down without much notice from the community or preservation groups.

Are there any Maine/New England Cinema Treasures members out there who can shed light on this?

I don’t see how it could be. You can kind of see where the old elements were attached. But it doesn’t appear to be a false front- look in the upper left corner. I think it’s all brick, with the ornament literally shorn off. Shameful.

Behind the front facade of today is there anything worth saving? To compare ‘what was then’ and ‘what is now’ one would think it isn’t the same building? Windows are gone or covered up and marquee is certainly gone! Hope a local can tell us more and can take interior photos, but one must contact the owner of the building to get inside!

I work in Lewiston, and drive by the theatre often. I never thought much of the building because they had stripped the facade and it had been vacant for 20 years. I had assumed that it had also been stripped inside, but still I always wanted to see it.
Last monday, a co-worker was walking by and the doors were open because of the demolition. So he snuck in to take a look and he said that it was simply beautiful. The red velvet seats were still there, the hardwood floors, the balcony high above the grand stage with the curtains even. It was all there! He said you could even see the ticket booth and the great big doors that led into the theatre. That was last Monday, 4/18. Today it’s nothing but a skeleton. I missed it, I could cry! If I’d only known. By the end of the weekend, it will be gone. It’s so sad that people don’t realize that they’re throwing history away for a parking lot! When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Update 8-10-05. This building, not far from the Gov. Longley bridge over the Androscoggin River, and next to the old CMP lot, is down and the bricks are being carted away (wish I could get one). For a few recent seasons an animated fellow sold tee-shirts from his car parked next to this building. Before that, a church held its services inside. Then, long ago now, around 1970, I watched my first movies there, “Dumbo” and “Sleeping Beauty,” and have been enchanted by movie theaters ever since. I also saw my first sci-fi film there, about a human-ant queen, and (despite that B-movie’s influence) got hooked on sci-fi movies. What a treasure, lost. But the good memories live on! For a brief building note, check out the pdf brochure or view in html, at www.ci.lewiston.me.us/files/pdf/tourbrochure.pdf

I have been to the Empire theater.My Mother use to bring me there when i was a kid in the mid 70s.I remember seeing scary movies there.It was very dark in there.But i remember looking around the theater it was an old style theater.When i was there as a little boy i new when i was looking around that there was a lot of history in there.And i remember the long line of people waiting to get in to see a movie.times have change for our entertainment.In the late 70s& 80s when cable TV came to lewiston entertainment was watch at home.

I can not beleave they tore it down with all the history the empire theater has and it’s on the historical site list too!I wounder if it was tore down because it was'nt safe?Or it’s because no one cared about it any more?I got some old pictures and a picture of whats left.It’s just a emty lot now.I will post them soon.

BethanyH,Have had the same thing happen to me.You want to haul it home but just can’t do it.I have taken some stuff,in fact quite a bit over the years,but always had to leave something behind,that today is in the dump.